Happy New Year

It's hard to believe New Year and 2009 is here. I'm sitting here watching the American Ballroom Dance Challenge. Jeff is singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Eli and Furby is barking either because Jeff is singing or because of the fireworks that are going off every second since fireworks are legal here in Texas. Maia and her friend Kaytlin are upstairs. They're having a sleepover tonight, and Evan's in Eagle Pass with Mike until Sunday when I pick him up in San Marcos.

Sunday is Eli's birthday. Spiderman and Batman are hard to find, so I initially settled for Thomas the Train at Kroger, but after talking to Jeff decided to see if the local HEB (another grocery store) had Spiderman or Batman. I was in luck and ordered a Spiderman cake. It's hard to believe that he will be three! His vocabulary is incredible. He loves for us to tell him stories, mostly about Batman, Spiderman, the Green Goblin, Joker and Catwoman. We were at a holiday party last week and the hostess' mom who read books to Eli and decorated gingerbread men commented how bright she thought he was. She is a former teacher. I'm not sure where, but they are from Waynesburg, PA. I will say he does know his colors, body parts and numbers through 10 very well.

The kids go back to school on Tuesday. I'm not looking forward to waking up at 5:50 a.m. to get Evan up again, but it will be nice to get back into the routine. I'll start going to events again next week, and my spring issue goes to print at the end of the month.

The country as a whole may be in a financial recession with banks being taken over, the car industry at the brink of financial ruin and people losing jobs at every turn, however Houston is it's own economic entity. Not to say that people aren't losing their jobs here. At Jeff's company at least three people lost their jobs just before the holidays. Luckily it wasn't Jeff who doesn't seem in too much danger of losing his job. People are shopping, eating out, spending (although probably not as much as usual), building and buying homes. Our realtor who got us this house said it was the best year she has ever had! Jeff and I will start looking for a new home this spring.

Okay, so enough about that. It's already new year on the East coast, but we still have about a half an hour. It's a drink of the bubbly, toast to a new year, and I'm off to bed! Here's to 2009!

Christmas in Houston

Well it's Christmas Eve here in Houston. We all wish we were in Scottdale, PA, but we are making the best of spending Christmas away from "home". Right now the ham is in the oven and I just put the hashbrown potato casserole in. We'll eat about 5 because I need to be at the church by 6:15 for the 7 p.m. Contemporary Service and then the choir will sing for the 9 p.m. Traditional service. I was also asked to sing Sunday for service, so I'll be singing Mary Sweet Mary, a Selah song I was going to sing at Calvin United Presby should we have made it back. At least my $5 plus to buy the sheet music online wasn't wasted! :)

I spent the better part of last night wrapping presents since Jeff told me he doesn't want to be up all night Christmas Eve wrapping. Last night we went to a party at my music and worship director's house. Bob leads the Praise Team and Julie his wife directs the children's choir and sings in the choir and with praise team. It as a nice evening with lots of food and socializing. Eli really took to Julie's Grandma who is in town with her husband from Waynesburg, PA! Julie is also Maia's music teacher at her school.

Last Saturday we went to my high school friend Melynda Kaisher Dunn's home in Houston for a Holiday Open House. I saw her at the DHS 20th reunion this summer. She and her husband Steve have a 4-year old daughter Camille and are expecting their second daughter Molly Jane around the time of Evan's birthday at the end of February. They have a lovely home, had a Santa who makes the rounds with his wife as Mrs. Claus for charity and had a professional photographer there as well! I drank mimosas and ate pimento cheese sandwiches - strange combo I know, but yummy!

Tomorrow I'll be cooking a small turkey breast, stuffing, potatoes, veggie and rolls for Christmas lunch. I kind of switched things around since I just bought the turkey breast today and it needs to thaw! I did a little bit of last minute shopping today and the stores surprisingly weren't too bad! It's very strange to go out on Dec. 24 and Maia had on capri pants a short sleeve t-shirt and flip flops!

Work is going well. I went to my company Christmas party yesterday afternoon,and was glad because not only did I win a bag of Starbucks Christmas coffee and a giftcard, it was nice to get to know some of the people from the main office. With me being freelance, I pretty much just see one of my advertising reps on a regular basis and I email Carlee the Assistant Editor daily. I turned in the edited stories for the Spring issue a few weeks ago and was tying things up for the issue which will be on stands in mid-Feb. I believe it goes to print at the end of January.

It's hard to believe it will be 2009 soon. I've started to look into driving schools and classes here since Evan will be turning 15. I plan on him having some good road time when we drive back to Scottdale after school is out for the year in June. It's been a busy year for us. Moving to Houston, weathering Hurricane Ike, finding a job I like, getting the kids adjusted and involved, being active in the church...we'll see what next year has to offer!

Until then - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We miss you all!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Oh the weather ouside is frightful...

Well I have a few minutes before I head out to a Chamber luncheon. You may thing all I do at this job is eat and...you're right. I also drink a lot of coffee, so it's a good thing when I was pregnant with Eli I got a taste for it!

The weather here has to be the major story. Last week I went and bought Maia a new winter coat at Justice and got it for half off with a coupon I had. It was 75 Monday, 35 Wednesday, 70 again on Sunday and today it's in the 40's. Yes I know it's nothing compared to PA weather, but cold here none the less. By this weekend it will be in the mid-70's again. No wonder people get sick here!

I was lucky and got over my sinus thing in time for the Christmas concerts at my church. They both went really well and we got rave reviews for our jazz numbers.

Jeff is in Milan, Tennessee for a few days this week on business, he'll be back on Wednesday. Well it's lunch time. More later! :)

Eli & the Christmas tree

Yes I need to buy a skirt for the tree. Eli didn't want the tree in the living room so it's in the front room. I think he was redecorating after I left to take Maia to gymnastics!

New job: Schmoozing and Exploring

Well I started going to events (I'm required to attend 1 - 3 a week) so Tuesday I went to a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Jersey Village Baptist Church. One of the CFM advertising reps Mary Holdsworth also went and I'm pictured with her as we placed our piece of the puzzle (that made the church possible) onto the board. The majority of the events I attend are Cy-Fair Chamber of Commerce sponsored. As a Chamber member, I went on a tour of the church as was also served a light lunch as a VIP.

The church was pretty amazing. You know everything is bigger in Texas and churches are certainly no exception. The new worship center has state of the art everything from lighting to the sound system. It seats 1500 and has room to expand in the future. They also have an impressive choir loft and orchestra section which is duplicated in the choir room with acoustics any musician would be jealous of! They seemed to be rather pleased with the 45 water closets and specialized sections for the older members and the youth. While I'm not interested in being Baptist, I wouldn't mind attending a service there on an off Sunday for my choir just to experience it. Their first service in the building will be this Sunday.

Yesterday I went to a Women's Networking Group luncheon held at the Houston National Golf Club. Also a Cy-Fair Chamber event, the group is only its first year, but seems to be growing and heading in the right direction. I believe there were at least 21 at this meeting that included bankers, doctors, real estate agents, attorneys, restaurateurs, managers and me!

So what I've gained so far is that I'll be meeting a lot of interesting people with this job and will get to know the Cy-Fair area as I go to different events. Eli isn't too thrilled about going to Esmerelda's, but it's only two days a week and usually not more than four hours! Next week I'll be heading to another ribbon cutting at a credit union and a Chamber breakfast.

Work wise I've been busy editing stories for the Spring issue. Some of my writers I do very few corrections and others require a little more work. I'm still getting used to the formatting, but it's definitely more up my alley than my previous employment!

We're a week and a half away from our Christmas concert at Windwood. We'll do two shows, one at 4 and the other at 7 on the 14th. Sunday we have rehearsal from 1 - 2, Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and then the concert. I know Jeff will be glad when I'm done with these extended rehearsals! I know my voice will be. The bell choir is also playing so I'll be running!

I was asked to sing a solo at Calvin United Presby for Christmas Eve, however it won't be O Holy Night since the new directors daughters will be singing it this year. I think my family is a little disappointed, but I'm not in charge anymore. I'm going to sing a song called "Mary Sweet Mary."

Well that's all for now - Eli and I are heading to the mall and grocery shopping soon! :)

Kemah photos

Here are some photos from our Kemah trip last weekend. From the top The kids looking at the pelicans in the water at the Boardwalk. (Eli hoping Evan wasn't going to throw him in!) LOL Mommy and her little buddy! Evan and Maia outside The Aquarium Restaurant. I think this is one of the only pictures I have of me and Jeff in how many years?